Squeegee



A. AMOLANDER July 16, 1935.

SQUEEGEE Filed Aug. 18, A3.955

IN VET/VTM' A TTJZNEX mrl/QQ mul Patented July 16, 1935 UNITEDVsrATieiSf PATENT? OFFICE 2,008,221 SQUEEGEE Alfred Molaaer, st. Paul,Minn. Applicata@ August 1s, 1933, serial-No. 685,706

f i claim.4 lol; 15-245) My invention relates to improvements insqueegees used ordinarily in the cleaning of windows and secondarilydoor glass and the principle of my device may be embodied in otherdevioesto advantage as on mechanical windshield wipers for automobiles.

The main object is to provide a device of tne type described, embodyingcertain features which eliminate streaks o-r lines on a glass surface,providing in shortest possible time a clear, unmarked glass surface, allas hereinafter fully set forth, reference being had to the acccompanyingdrawing, in which:-

Fig. l is a plan view of 'a sdueegee of the usualv type used forcleaning windows and embodying my improvements, only a portion of thehandle being shown.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view as on line 2-`2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an approximately full size face view of one end partof asqueegee wiper blade of my improved type.

Fig. `4 is a` front elevation of my device used as a windshield wiper onan automobile.

Fig. 5 is a face View of a portion of a window and showing my device inoperative position.

Referring to the drawing by reference numerals, 5 designates the usualhandle of any desired length, the front end of same being insertable inand retained in the shank 6 of the squeegee. Said shank is usuallyflattened at 6A and bent to its integral T-head part 6H which latterpart is suitably removably attached as at 'l to the central part of theupper metal wiper clamp-bar 8.

Said bar 8 is as stated the upper clamp bar, there being also a similarlower clamp bar 9 between which bars are clamped the rubber wiping meanswhich comprise ya main rubber strip I 0 and an auxiliary strip or bladeII atop thereof.

The rubber strips are preferably clamped between the bars by a series offlat-head screws I2 insertable in apertures of the upper bar` 8, throughregistering `apertures I8 in the rubber strips and threaded intocorresponding apertures in the lower bar 9.

The auxiliary rubber strip II is of course a reenforcing strip and itsforward edge oifset back 'from the forward edge of the main strip orblade which latter edge is the glass contact edge.

The main features of my device are embodied in the said rubber stripsand the metal clamping bars retaining said strips rigidly between themand in parallel relation to each other.

Hitherto the rubber strips and the clamps therefor, as far as I amaware, havebeen-rnade straight. throughout their 4entire length. In mydevice `the v opposite ends or extremitiesV of; said parts are curvedrearwardly, as distinctly shown., at IIJC` in Figs. 1. and3 for apurpose presently to be described. K.

` The use of lmy deviceis similar toluse ofpresent` types of squeegees,horizontal, vertical andirregular strokes ofV the device being `made `onthe glass, each stroke overlapping the area' contacted by previousstrokes. 1Hcweven hitherto. much difficulty has beenV experienced togetaglass surf face absolutely clear, Astreaks, becoming .evident whenthe surface driessuch streaks. being difiigcult to see Vduring the`cleaning process. One ex.- ample of this is illustrated `in Figf inWhiohVieW is` also shown, how my device eliminatesl the streaks on theglass.

For` example (in` Fig. 5)assuming that the window glass I5 has beenwashed withwater and; any cleansing solution thereinV and.` that thesqueegee has made one horizontalstroke to remove the water under the topmember I4 of the window, as from the left sash member I5 toward theright. It is often the case that a little of the water is remaining inthe vertical groove where glass I3 and bar I5 converge such wet streakbeing designated by shaded area I6 andsaid water naturally running downalong the groove.

With a square end wiper it is clear that when the wiper is drawn as fromleft to right in Fig. 5 a part of the descending water I6 unavoidablymust be drawn out as line I'I and making a streak on the glass. Underthe same conditions with the arcuate end part of my wiper blade there isno angular corner to catch any of water I6 and cause a streak. It istrue that my blade does contact the glass and said water I6 but becauseof said arcuate construction there is a gradual approach of said arcuateface to the glass surface and consequently when the wiper isdrawn acrossthe glass there can be no sharp line of demarcation,V as I1. Obviouslybecause of said gradual contact there must be made a streak across theglass but said contact spreads any such water in a left to right Vstreakwhich is relativelyfwide and thin and not visible.` Therefore thegradual re-` ceding of said curved blade part is definitely differentthan a right angle contact on the glass.

Fig. l clearly reveals that the wiper members I0-I I and the clamp barsare correspondingly I wiper members IO-I I are made with horizontallyelongated slots I8 for the clamping screws I2 to pass through, and theend screws I ZApass through transversely elongated slots IBA, said slotsI8 providing for holding the straight parts in suitably molded rubber,but if cut from sheet stock are made withV identical forward and rearedge curves thus eliminating waste in manufacture and providing bladesof correct configuration, the curved ends being subject to forward orrearward adjustment as may be deemed necessaryy bythe user and allowedfor by the transversely elongated slotsIBA Y In Fig. 4 the glass 13Adesignates an automobile windshield, vA designating my wiper contactingthe glass and instead of a handle as in Fig. 1 has the reciprocable arm2B of a mechanical windshield'wiper clearing an arcuate area designatedby broken outlines 2l. The arcuate upper and lower lines 2| areeliminated by the use of my` wiper bladefor the same reasons line I'I(Fig. 5) is madeV invisible as described in first paragraph of page 3. lIn present types of windshield Y wiper blades,l with square ends, thecontact of said latter parts causes arcuate streaks on the glass suchstreaks being not only unsightly but difficult to remove.

The 'main feature of my squeegee comprises the molded mainly straightedged rubber contact strip with the receding curved end parts, thedegree of such curvature being necessarily only very slight. The saidcurvature may be varied as desired within certain limits withoutaffecting the straight' edge and is retained by the screws I8. Theoutermost corners, where the wiping edges and end edges of the bladeconverge are almost rectangular and being retracted, in any case, onlyslightly from the glass surface these corner parts serve as guidesagainst the sash bars Ill-I5. Y

An important feature is that the curvature IDC is molded or formed inthe manufacture of the blade. A straight edge blade cannot be pressed orforced back into such curvature Vwithout affecting the straight edgepart of the blade, causing undulation or waves therein and renders thewiping edge useless. The degree of curvature of -the blade at IGC isonly variable slightly to conform to variable pressure exerted bydiierent operators some having only a normal light working pressure,others more or less heavy handed. In

any case theblade must be adjusted according to the usual pressureexerted by the operator and the curvature IDC is variable of course inaccordance therewith.

The metal head described is of secondary importance. It is obvious thatmy iiexible blade adaptable for use with present wellknown'squeegeeclamp means.

I claim: .Y j

A squeegee wiper member comprising a flexible blade adapted to beclamped between a pair of parallel clamp bars and projecting forwardlythereof, the blade having a straight, forward edge throughout its mainlength and gradually receding rearwardly at its end parts, the blademeansv and the clamping bars provided with a, series of registeringapertures,V the apertures of the clamp means suitably threaded forclamping screws and the extreme end apertures only of the nexible blademeans elongated transversely ofl the blade and clamp bars, andthe'intermediate aper-` tures formed elongated llongitudinally of theblade.V N A ALFRED MOLANDER.

